Author
Topic: Outlaw '78 TA project (Read 856 times)

First time post now that my restoration is finally back in my hands (after 16 years). Started with a solid '81 Trans Am. WS6, T-Tops, mildly improved 305ci, T10 4 speed, 7" snowflakes. It was in need of paint, but was otherwise in good shape. And it was already bastardized, so I didn't feel bad about restoring it in my own vision. Perfect. Yes it will have a '78 front clip (thus the name), but I like the '81 tail lights better. Have to upload old pics. Had a digital camera, but that was pre-cell phone days.

Drove it a while, stripped it, and waited 6 long years for my turn at the body shop where the owner and his son (huge Pontiac guys) always keep a side project in the shop. Took them 5 years. Complete rotisserie body and paint work (2008 Porsche Night Race Blue). They finished right before my wife and I broke ground on a new house. oof. I did a lot of the interior work on the house followed by a few years of landscaping and other all the other little honey do's. Needed time to get the car kitty built up anyway.

So here I am in 2017. Things are finally under way. Put in a complete Chris Alliston Chassis Works chassis early this year (with the help of a buddy that has built numerous custom cars). Just set the Butler Performance 461 and Extreme Automatics 200-4R last weekend. What!? An automatic in a 4 speed car? Boooo! Yeah well, a bad knee can cause a 40-something to make different decisions than the 20-something that bought the car.

I have done a lot of wrenching in my life, but have not done anything on this scale. Look forward to sharing with everyone here through the project. Hopefully I will be able to offer help to others with what I learn. Lord knows I'll have questions.